With the Big Apple clash between the New York Jets and Giants just one day away, we rank the Top 10 players combined from the teams.
By Robby Sabo
Both teams played a game that meant everything to them. Both were battling to sneak into the NFL playoffs that season. Both were, at times, both incredibly mediocre and talented during the season.
It just so happened they were put up against each other to decide things.
This was the day the Jets and Giants last squared off. A day Victor Cruz took a short Eli Manning pass and scampered for 99-yards yards, creating a starting point for both franchises to showcase their respective recent misfortunes and successes.
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Since that epic touchdown, the Giants spring-boarded themselves to their second Super Bowl title under Tom Coughlin, while the Rex Ryan era in New York slowly crumbled with each passing year.
Now, on the eve of their next battle, little has changed involving the circumstances. Both Big Blue and Gang Green desperately need the game if either has realistic designs on sneaking into the tournament.
The Giants are coming off one of the worst defeats a potential playoff team could suffer. Losing 20-14 at the hands of the average Washington Redskins, this Jets game means everything.
For the Jets, of course a Wild Card berth is the only possible scenario in their future. The incredible misfortune of playing in the same division as Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots continues to haunt them. Still though, at 6-5 the playoffs remain a very real possibility.
Most believe the Jets come into the game with an overall more talented personnel grouping. Most also believe the Giants are equipped with the top-end players in the game.
Is this better news for the Jets or Giants? In this NFL of simple and favorable passing sometimes only one or two dominant positions are needed (as long as it’s the right position).
Here’s how we break it down: the New York Jets and Giants Top 10 Player Rankings heading into their 2015 matchup on Dec. 6:
Notables
- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE (NYG)
- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB (NYG)
- Leonard Williams, DL (NYJ)
- Justin Pugh, OT (NYG)
- Ereck Flowers, OT (NYG)
- Eric Decker, WR (NYJ)
- Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB (NYJ)
- Akeem Ayers, DL (NYG)
- Shane Vereen, RB (NYG)
- Damon Harrison, DT (NYJ)
- Landon Collins, S (NYG)
- David Harris, MLB (NYJ)
- Johnathan Hankins, DT (NYG)
- James Carpenter, OG (NYJ)
- Jon Beason, MLB (NYG)
- D’Brickashaw Ferguson, OT (NYJ)
- Devon Kennard, OLB (NYG)
- Victor Cruz, WR (NYG)
Let’s face the fact that Jason Pierre-Paul doesn’t deserve to fit into this Top 10 anymore. Sure, does he have the talent still? We think so. Still though, he can’t crack this list after missing so much time and now adjusting to life with the injury.
The other guy who was really tough to leave off was Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie. Tough, but there was another Giants DB who deserved it more.
Guys like D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Victor Cruz are only up there based on name alone. Ferguson has been very poor this season, while, well, we know Cruz’s situation.
Let’s get onto the big show now, shall we.
10. Chris Ivory, RB (NYJ)
New York Jets running back Chris Ivory is the east coast version of beast-mode. In a league where teams routinely showcase three or four running backs, the Jets only use two: Ivory and Bilal Powell in true third-down situations.
Ivory currently ranks sixth in the NFL with 766 yards. He’s the workhorse of the offense and the guy who Todd Bowles asks to get the tough yards.
Just look at this run last week should you need any more evidence:
9. Sheldon Richardson, DL (NYJ)
This season for Sheldon Richardson has been, by far, the worst of his short three-year NFL career. Forget his off-the-field issues for a moment, which caused him to miss the first four games of the season, he hasn’t been that dominant force the Jets were used to enjoying.
Still, the man does have 3.5 sacks in six games played and could be the most talented defensive lineman between the two teams.
He’s so talented he has to be in the Top 10. He’d probably be in the Top 5 if he was playing like his 2013 NFL Rookie of the Year former self.
8. Price Amukamara, CB (NYG)
The only thing that holds New York Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara back are injuries. The Giants best defensive player simply cannot stay on the field for a full season.
Through five NFL seasons, including 2015, Amukamara will have only played one full season (16 games in 2013). This year is no different as he’s already missed three contests.
Let’s not totally hold that over his head. No. 8 for the stellar corner sounds about right.
7. Calvin Pryor, S (NYJ)
Coming in the top spot in “most improved” is New York Jets safety Calvin Pryor.
The 23-year old hart-hitter from Louisville didn’t enjoy his finest hour as a rookie. Playing out of position in Rex Ryan’s defense, Pryor struggled playing center-field.
Now, back at his natural strong safety spot (sniffing his nose in the robber and box areas), Pryor has become a vital cog on the Jets defense. Just look at what happened to the defense when the man missed time this season. They went from arguably the best unit in football to extremely shaky.
Oh yeah, he sure can set the tone for a game as well:
6. Darrelle Revis, CB (NYJ)
Although future Hall of Famer Darrelle Revis will miss his second consecutive game due to a concussion, it would be completely disrespectful to leave him off the list all together.
He’s still that damn good.
OK, has he lost a little off his top-flight speed? Of course. DeAndre Hopkins abusing him a couple weeks ago finally allowed the entire nation to understand that. We in the city already knew this.
But we also know, while he’s not the guy he was five years ago, where you could actually play him as a real island and ignore safety help all together, he’s still a solid football player with one of the best defensive minds in the NFL.
5. Brandon Marshall, WR (NYJ)
At 31-years of age Brandon Marshall still has it. He still has the size and ability to dominate a football game if given the opportunity.
This was easily the best move general manager Mike Maccagnan made during the offseason. Only surrendering a low-level pick, the Jets provided Ryan Fitzpatrick with a guy who demands attention from the defense. Without somebody who forces double teams and help over-the-top, defenses can play these Jets straight up and load the box.
Having Marshall and Eric Decker both out wide has allowed Fitzpatrick and the Jets to enjoy one of the better passing seasons in quite some time. Marshall currently ranks seventh in the league with 931 receiving yards. He’s also tied for second with nine receiving TDs.
4. Nick Mangold, C (NYJ)
If there was ever a more important player on the Jets offense, I don’t know him. Center Nick Mangold is that guy.
Not only did the offensive line fall apart when Mangold missed a game and change earlier in the season, but the entire offense went bankrupt.
Suddenly the Jets forgot how to block and Chris Ivory couldn’t run the ball for more than a fraction of a second before seeing defenders in his face (namely Oakland Raider defenders).
As soon as Mangold returned, so did the offense. Mangold is their best offensive player, and one of the best centers in the game. He’s also been their offensive leader for quite some time considering the painstakingly rough times for this franchise going through life without a franchise quarterback.
3. Muhammad Wilkerson, DL (NYJ)
The way the Top 3 rounds out is easy. At No. 3 comes the New York Jets best player: Muhammad Wilkerson.
First off, the Jets need to pay this man. He’s still playing on the last year of a rookie contract in which he’s fully made good on and more.
Eight sacks in 11 games this season doesn’t even tell a tenth of the story for how good Wilkerson has been this season. He’s the guy on the defensive front who commands double teams from the opposing offensive line every game out. That alone makes his worth very easily noticeable.
His only issue is the position he plays. If he was this dominant at the wide receiver position, he might be in the No. 2 spot instead of the next guy.
2. Odell Beckham Jr., WR (NYG)
Like previously mentioned, the Top 3 on this list is very easy to come up with. And No. 2 is hands down Odell Beckham Jr.
The talent is obvious to see. Forget “The Catch” he made last season on SNF against the Dallas Cowboys, he seems to wow us on a consistent basis.
Take last week for example. Against the Washington Redskins, the Giants desperately needed a score. Eli Manning threw the ball into a part of the endzone where OBJ (and only OBJ) could wind up making a catch:
He’s more than just skill. He’s smart on the field as well. OK, perhaps earlier in the seaosn he was coming up with some boneheaded displays of frustration as opposing defenses targeted him, but that was to be expected. And you can’t blame the defenders for wanting to make that one big hit that’ll get them on SportsCenter.
When you’re the talk of the league and on the cover of Madden, you will become a target.
Beckham currently ranks fourth in the NFL in receiving yards (1,005) and is tied with Marshall and a few others for second in TD receptions (9).
1. Eli Manning, QB (NYG)
Finally we get to the bonafide best player in New York City.
Eli Manning isn’t just the best player between the two teams, he is an icon.
Sure fans get frustrated with the guy. His inconsistencies are sometimes hard to ignore. He, along with the entire Giants team, far too often plays down to their competition.
For his very few negatives, comes legendary positives.
There is no quarterback I have ever seen play so average in the dull moment, yet play so brilliantly when the money is on the line. When the game breaks down the moment becomes too big for 99 percent of the QBs who’ve ever played the position, Eli Manning thrives.
I know this: the Jets organization would give up their entire roster for a chance to obtain a quarterback like Manning. In a league where QB is actually too important, the Giants can win despite a mediocre overall roster.
With Eli Manning, Super Bowls are always possible, despite the odds.